Pay by Plate system will make Ocean City parking a little different this year

Ocean City, Maryland – (March 28, 2018): “Pay & Display” systems are a thing of the past, at least in Ocean City. New parking kiosks are replacing the old all over town on sidewalks and in municipal parking lots, and a “Pay by Plate” system is replacing “Pay & Display.”

Because these new kiosks are “Pay by Plate,” patrons must enter their license plate numbers before paying for their time. Users will be guided step-by-step through their parking transactions on the full-color display screens of the new solar powered kiosks. There is no longer a need to place a receipt on the dashboard, and time can be extended at the kiosk with your plate number.

The pay-by-cell parking system remains in place, and patrons will still be able to pay for their parking by using the Parkmobile mobile parking app. You can extend your time directly through the app, which will also send text reminders when your parking time is about to expire. The Parkmobile app is available for download on the App store for the iPhone, the Google Play Store for Android devices, and the Microsoft store for Windows phones.

The Town is also making improvements to parking at the Inlet Parking Lot by implementing a “gateless” system. Parkers will no longer have to get a ticket at the entrance and pay an attendant at the exit. Now parkers can enter the parking lot, park their vehicle, pay at a Pay by Plate kiosk or through the Parkmobile app, and go enjoy themselves. The Town expects this system to have a significant reduction on wait times at the exit to the lot.

“With our paid parking season beginning on April 1, we are excited to offer a new parking system that will add convenience for our visitors, as well as a system that should help us better manage parking occupancy,” says Jessica Waters, Communications Manager for the Town of Ocean City. “Our goal is to ensure compliance with the parking regulations while providing our residents and visitors an enjoyable time in Ocean City.”

The new parking system is being provided by Parkeon, Inc., based out of Moorestown, NJ. Parkeon is the leading provider of parking kiosks around the globe, and has deployed similar parking systems in cities across the United States and locally in towns like Salisbury, Dewey Beach, Rehoboth Beach, and Washington DC.

John Anderson

New parking system is a nightmare. I parked at the inlet today, but will not park there again. I’ll go to Dolle’s in West OC for my fudge and popcorn. People were lined up at at the new kiosks trying to figure out the new system. Wait until visitors start receiving parking fines plus “administrative” fees in their mailboxes at home after vacation. They won’t come back.

Terri Evans

Watch using the park mobile app. It charges 50 cents each transaction. OC is getting a bit too greedy for me. Makes you pay upfront instead of exit, you don’t get any refund if you leave early. No accommodations for handicap, even personal helping couldn’t answer how it will work with a handicap placard. Gotta be past the ‘crows nest’ before your time runs out or ticket will be mailed to you! Where’s the infamous hospitality now?